Prehospital & Disaster Medicine
Volume  28  – Issue 06 – December 2013
https://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayIssue?jid=PDM&tab=currentissue

Special Report
Emergency Medicine Systems Advancement through Community-based Development
Martha M. Bloema1, Christina M. Bloema2 c1, Juliana Rosentsveyga3 and Bonnie Arquillaa2
a1 Institute of International Education, Scholar Rescue Fund, New York, New York USA
a2 Department of Emergency Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York USA a3 School of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York USA

Abstract
Humanitarian health programs frequently focus on immediate relief and are supply side oriented or donor driven. More emphasis should be placed on long-term development projects that engage local community leaders to ensure sustainable change in health care systems. With the Emergency Medicine Educational Exchange (EMEDEX) International Rescue, Recover, Rebuild initiative in Northeast Haiti as a model, this paper discusses the opportunities and challenges in using community-based development to establish emergency medical systems in resource-limited settings.